Helping others, naturally: Barding says move to join ProActive Chiropractic was good one
Chiropractor Jessica Barding, who opened a practice in 2003 in Festus, said the decision to merge 15 years later with ProActive Chiropractic, is helping her achieve a primary goal.
ProActive Chiropractic, owned by Lynnette Mayfield, has offices in Arnold, Festus and Creve Coeur.
Mayfield is the chiropractor at the Arnold office and Barding is the clinic director at the Festus office, 1520 Parkway West.
Barding said the merger allows her to serve a larger client base.
“It gave me the opportunity to help more people, which is my mission,” she said.
Barding, 44, of Imperial grew up in the Chicago area and completed undergraduate degrees in chemistry and zoology at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. Then, she decided to go into chiropractic medicine.
“Health care was going toward alternative and natural side of things, and I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to help people more organically, without drugs and surgery,” she said. “That really appealed to me.”
Barding moved to the St. Louis area and attended Logan University in Chesterfield, where she completed her chiropractic training, and then she completed a post-doctoral program in acupuncture.
She said the Festus office is the only one of the three ProActive Chiropractic offices that offers acupuncture.
“Chiropractic is the main part of (the practice), but I use acupuncture as an adjunct. They enhance each other,” she said.
Barding said she also emphasizes rehabilitation.
“I’m big into helping people do things on their own at home – exercises, stretching, ergonomic assessments, work assessments.”
Barding said she loves her job.
“It’s rewarding to watch people having their life changed, walking out a different person mentally because they’re feeling so much better physically,” she said.
Barding said she is proud of the philanthropic work ProActive Chiropractic does.
This year the company is raising funds for the St. Louis VA Medical Center’s Fisher House.
Barding and her husband, Brian, have two children.
